The Baucus Co-Op Plan is Worse Than Expected

Posted on 09/16/2009 at 6:09 pm by Bob Cesca

Ezra Klein summarizes:

The co-ops have never been a satisfying alternative to the public option. But the version in Baucus’s bill isn’t even a satisfying alternative to the co-op option. It’s a neutered version of the co-op idea, which was in turn a neutered version of the public option.

Basically, each state gets a co-op, but larger businesses can’t enroll which seriously limits the size of the co-ops and consequently their ability to negotiate decent rates. And unlike the public option, the co-ops wouldn’t have the negotiating prowess of the federal government. So Baucus and his WellPoint stooge have created a co-op plan that’s completely impotent.

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  • Eric

    Ya gotta hand it to Max.He’s so fucking consistent.

  • veralynn

    I just got a new job and will soon be a WellPoint customer…yay for me :(

  • Terri

    H.R. 676 – the United States National Health Insurance bill that is far better than Medicare, Medicaid and the vast majority of private health insurance policies. H.R. 676 fully covers everthing currently covered by Medicare and Medicaid PLUS all dental (except cosmetic), all optical and hearing services and hearing aids — with no out-of-pocket charges to the insured (that’s us, folks). The Private Profit Option cannot compete with H.R. 676

  • http://toastie.st Toastie

    As a dialysis patient with PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease), I’m very disappointed that Baucus’s bill does not rectify the current asinine policy regarding Medicare payment of anti-rejection (immunosuppresent) drugs.Medicare at present will only pay for 36 months of these vitally-important drugs. Unless this is changed, people will continue to stop taking their anti-rejections drugs and wind up back on dialysis, awaiting a new transplant. Extremely stupid, both fiscally and morally.

  • http://facebook.com/doubeaseven doubleaseven

    For a clear discussion of what it will take to make CoOps work – a non-sham CoOp solution will probably cost more than a Public Option. Here is a pointer to Dr Timothy Jost’s interview in NYT. This has further pointers to Dr Jost’s work on CoOps and Public Option etc. ~ http://is.gd/2OAyu